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FatherTime Box is a monthly subscription service that delivers thoughtfully-curated experiences for dads and their kids, along with a little something extra for dad. We’re not about infant accessories, designer kids clothes, or the latest gadget you can plug in to let dad tune out, we’re about creating experiences that strengthen the bonds between busy dads and their children. The kind of bonds that are only created through patience, intent, and most importantly, time.

What’s your traction been like thus far?

We just launched in late February of 2014, so we are brand spankin’ new. That said, our message is resonating with our (small, but growing) audience. As it turns out, there are a lot of dads out there who are just like me – who have all the heart and desire to do things with their kids, but not enough time to plan and create the experiences. That’s where we step in.

What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you started FatherTime Box?

Facebook’s stance on organic views for companies has changed completely since we started. We get fewer organic views there now, and rely more on pay for play. We are also now intimately aware of how long it takes to stuff a box – a lot longer than we thought it would.

What’s a hypothesis that you’ve had that has failed? And how did you respond?

When we started we were convinced that we’d get more customers through friends and family than we have to date. While we’d never planned on parlaying that into something exponentially larger, we were nonetheless disappointed to concede that our price point ($50/month) was more of a barrier than we’d originally imagined. Our approach has been to spend just a bit more on social marketing than we’d projected initially, and that is paying dividends.

What’s your favorite startup in Atlanta? (Besides your own!)

So many startups focus on things other than physical goods that you can hold or touch. Part of what drives us at FatherTime Box is the idea that people need to spend time away from computers and digital devices doing things in the real world. That idea also works for a fitness product called Bedder Abs located right here in Atlanta. Bedder Abs is run by a good friend of FatherTime Box, Brian Kujawski.

What’s your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

My business is all about helping dads connect more with their kids. Every minute I spend curating these experiences is a minute where I’m, also, consciously trying to be a better dad for my young son, Oscar. Even if this business fails spectacularly, I will have succeeded in spending a lot more time doing fun things with him.

What’s your favorite local sports team?
Braves

If your company were an animal, what would it be and why?

A Great Dane. They are regal, majestic, good-natured and goofy. An astonishingly good description of who I’d like to be as a dad. Our Great Dane mascot emeritus is named Wonka (after Willy Wonka), and he was all of those things.